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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26170372">For A Long, Long Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFoolsKnight/pseuds/TheFoolsKnight'>TheFoolsKnight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lbotw Countdown Event [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Eldest Curses Series - Cassandra Clare, The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anniversary, Attempt at Humor, Dates, Feels, Fluff, Gen, How Do I Tag, Kissing, M/M, Soft kissing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:29:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,457</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26170372</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFoolsKnight/pseuds/TheFoolsKnight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec and Magnus go out to celebrate their second anniversary of getting together officially, but fate has other plans.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alec Lightwood &amp; Max Lightwood-Bane, Magnus Bane &amp; Max Lightwood-Bane, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lbotw Countdown Event [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1890874</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>65</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>For A Long, Long Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The streets of New York were glittering with bright effervescent light, the sky above them a dark contrast to the vibrant lamps and billboards. Alec and Magnus were strolling through the city, dressed in casual clothes, with Max held in Alec’s arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long until our reservation?” Alec asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Magnus looked at his watch. “There’s a lot of time, don’t worry. About half an hour.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alec nodded. “Good. Wouldn’t wanna be late.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Magnus said, giving him a soft smile. “I mean, it’s not everyday you’re celebrating your two-year anniversary, is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alec chuckled, and Magnus’s smile widened. Max made a sound in Alec’s arms, as if he wanted to join their talk, too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, of course, bluebell,” Magnus said, craning his neck and looking down at Max. Max made some more sounds and Magnus nodded along, as if he could understand exactly what he was saying. Alec chuckled as he watched the two of them, then froze and turned around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes flickered around, lingering on the darker corners for a bit. He’d felt a strange sensation for a moment, as if someone was watching him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is everything okay?” Magnus’s voice pulled him out of his reverie. Alec turned to him. He was looking concerned, a hand placed on Alec’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Alec dismissed, casting one last look at the street behind him. “Everything’s fine. Don’t worry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Magnus frowned, but then it disappeared as he turned back to Max.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, what were we talking about again, my little bluebird?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was in the middle of dinner, when he and Magnus were sitting across the small table in the restaurant with Max on one of those high chairs they kept for babies, that Alec felt the unease again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could’ve sworn he heard strange sounds - a sword slashing through the air, a rough thump, a crash. But the only sounds around them were quiet dining conversations and the clink of ceramics.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alec?” Magnus asked again with a small frown, reaching across the table to hold his hand. “Is everything alright? You don’t look like you’re alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alec bit his lip and looked at Magnus. They had been planning for this day for ages, and Alec didn’t want to ruin it with his stupid worries. Magnus was staring right at him, a small crease between his eyebrows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s nothing,” he assured in a quiet voice. Clearly, he was just imagining things. But then, there was a louder sound this time, like the crack of whip, and Alec paused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alexander,” Magnus said again, his voice a little firmer. “Tell me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Magnus,” Alec repeated in the same tone. “Really. I’m fine, I just-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alec broke off with a gasp, his hand automatically going to his arm, where he had his Parabatai rune. He’d felt a stab of pain, almost as if someone had driven a knife into the rune. It disappeared as soon as it came, but he knew what he felt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Magnus’s eyes widened and he waved a hand, casting a glamour to draw attention away from them. He got out of his chair and came to stand by Alec’s side while he rolled up his sleeve, casting a harried glance at his parabatai rune. Thankfully, it was fine, plain and stark black against his skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The parabatai bond," Alec realised, gritting his teeth. "Jace must've run into some demons."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Magnus muttered a few expletives under his breath, only to realise that a child who definitely shouldn't be hearing those words was sitting right in front of him and flushing deeply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alec on the other hand whipped out his phone and called Jace. He tapped his foot impatiently as the phone rang on and on until someone finally picked it up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello?" came Jace’s voice, and Alec let out a sigh of relief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You idiot!" Alec yelled. "Where have you been?! What the hell happened?!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I'm in an alleyway near that restaurant on Seventh Street and I just killed a demon. Got scratched. Nothing to worry about. How's your anniversary going along?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm in that restaurant on Seventh Street," Alec said in a flat voice. "No wonder I could hear you fighting. I thought I was going mad."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Magnus’s eyes widened and he placed a comforting hand on Alec's shoulder. Alec took his hand in his, giving it a small squeeze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, really?” Jace asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Unfortunately, yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jace said something, but it was drowned out in the sound of someone yelling. Alec heard something like a scuffle, and then it was Isabelle’s voice coming down the line, smooth and clear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t mind Jace,” she said quickly. “I’ll drag him away from here. Have fun on your date with Magnus. Tell Max I said ‘hi’. See you later!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, Isabelle cut the call. Max was completely oblivious to these events, and was happily nibbling away on a spoon, looking around at all the lights and people. Magnus was still beside Alec, his hand a comforting weight in Alec’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Heightened Shadowhunter senses can be a bit of a pain sometimes,” Alec said by way of explanation. It was true - sometimes he had trouble sleeping at night because he could hear someone snoring two floors below. Even now, if he strained his ears, he could faintly hear Isabelle’s yelling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should’ve told me,” Magnus said, kissing Alec on the forehead before returning to his seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was nothing.” Alec shrugged. “I told you it was nothing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Even if it’s nothing,” Magnus said softly, “I prefer to know what’s going on, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alec softened. “Okay, if you insist.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” Magnus said. “We’ll talk about this later. For now, let’s just-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Magnus could finish his sentence, Alec’s phone rang once again. The two looked at each other, and then at the phone. Before Alec could move, Magnus leaned over the table and grabbed Alec’s phone from where it was placed on the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alec yelped, trying to grab his phone back, but Magnus had already picked the call up. “Hello?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Alec?” Alec could clearly hear Lily’s voice from the phone. “I need to talk to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it urgent?” Magnus asked. Alec gaped at him, but he ignored him and went on. “Are there lives at stake?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, not really, but-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In that case it can wait until the morning,” Magnus said with an air of authority. “Right now, Alec is on a very important date with a very important person, and therefore he is out of commission. Try again tomorrow morning. Ciao.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Magnus cut the call and tossed the phone to Alec. He caught it and gave Magnus a wide-eyed stare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you!” he exclaimed, but he was smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I can’t just let her steal my date on this special day, now can I?” Magnus asked, and Alec laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two years. It’s been two years since Alec openly kissed Magnus in front of the clave, openly welcomed him into his arms. He never regretted his choice, and highly doubted that he ever would.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the dinner went by well, with Magnus and Alec idly chatting as they ate and watched the occasional waiter play with Max. A lot of them wanted to hold him. Clearly, a lot of them liked Max, and Alec couldn’t blame them. It was easy to love Max.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After dinner they went straight home, Max falling asleep in Magnus’s arms on the way. Alec watched as Magnus tucked him in, and then the two walked to the bedroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Magnus said, locking the door behind him and moving to sit beside Alec on the bed. “Did you have fun today?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alec smiled. “It was nice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Magnus raised an eyebrow. “Just.. nice?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alec shrugged, his eyes coyly flicking down to Magnus’s lips, which looked soft and inviting in the dim bedroom light. “Well, I suppose it could get better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Magnus smiled and leaned in, his soft, full lips meeting Alec’s. He inhaled deeply, as if he had been underwater this whole time and had only just broken the surface. Magnus’s hands were on his face, his fingers tracing the lines of his jaw, his cheeks and cheekbones, and Alec sighed into the kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was so much he wanted to say. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Thank you. Thank you for being with me these past two years. Thank you for giving me everything I’ve ever wanted. I love you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t say any of it. It was hard for him, sometimes, to speak up about such matters, but Magnus understood him. He always did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Alec’s fingers curled into his hair, messing up his thick black locks, Magnus whispered, “I love you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alec smiled. Even if he couldn’t say everything, atleast he could say this little bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you, too.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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